I really hope I'm not losing you guys already, because we're about to get to the good stuff here in the next few chapters! Thanks to those who have added this to your alert/favorite list and especially to those who review. Don't be shy – feedback is what motivates us writers!
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Vikings.
P.S. No Torstein yet, but the chances that he will be in the next chapter are very, very, very good.
Chapter Four
The next three weeks seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.
Because Signe and her brothers would be away from the farm for a while, whatever time they still had in Hedeby was spent working twice as hard around the house to ensure everything was as in order as possible before they left. Her brothers worked in the fields on most days while Signe tended to the chores inside – a considerable amount of time was spent tackling the pile of laundry that had steadily accumulated and making repairs to her father's and brothers' clothing, knowing these were thing that probably wouldn't get done while she was away.
Any time not dedicated to chores was spent training with her brothers. True to their word, Valborg and Hallsteinn had made it their personal mission to make sure she was absolutely – unquestionably – ready for what lied ahead. They had come nearly every day to train with her, and though they had been tough instructors in the past, now they were doubly so.
Though they had always held back in the past so as not to harm her, now, with her first true fight looming on the not-so-distant horizon, her eldest brothers had stopped restraining themselves and fought with their full strength whenever she sparred with them; to give her some idea of what she would soon be facing, they had claimed. Valborg and Hallsteinn charged her as they would their greatest nemesis, swung their weapons with more power than she knew they possessed, threw all of their best moves against her as if they truly wanted to kill her – and it had entered her mind once or twice that maybe they really did want to, because that was certainly what it was starting to feel like.
Her brothers sparred with her endlessly, made her do countless muscle-building exercises, practiced different shield-wall techniques with her, even forced her to fight them in hand-to-hand combat in the event that she found herself fighting without a weapon – there were even a few times when they called in Garik and Gunnar and made her defend herself against all four of them at once. All the while they constantly yelled things like, "Men will not go easy on you just because you are a woman!" or "I have seen plenty of shieldmaidens die gruesome, painful deaths! You must fight for your life or someone else will take it!". With each training session they pushed her to her absolute limit, only calling it a day when Signe felt like she would collapse and that every muscle in her body would burst from pain.
By now, she had lost count of how many bruises, welts, scrapes, and scratches she had accumulated because of the two. And that wasn't including the damage that had been done to her ego.
Yet, in spite of all the blood, sweat, and tears she'd shed over the course of the past few weeks, Signe did have to admit that she was starting to see a noticeable difference in herself. She had always thought herself a good fighter, but with nearly three weeks of the tough training under her belt, her attacks were stronger, sharper, more deliberate, and more accurate than they ever had been before. When Valborg slammed his shield into hers, she no longer trembled underneath the force – now when Signe's axe connected with Hallsteinn's shield his defenses faltered a bit, whereas before the strike had barely affected him. It might have been a very painful process, but it was worth it to see the improvements in her skill.
Between the never-ending chores and the arduous, time consuming training, the days all seemed to melt and mold into one giant blur. That was why when she woke one unusually sunny morning, she was surprised to realize that she and her brothers would be leaving on the boats to the east in less than a week.
Signe cringed as she sat up in bed and then slowly put her feet on the floor, most of her body aching in protest after yet another grueling session the day before. Her muscles had started acclimating to the training by now, so the ache wasn't as bad today as it had been the past few weeks, but she still hissed as she stood, grimacing when the movement aggravated a few particularly tender spots. She did a few stretches to try to ease some of the soreness, wincing painfully at first but then sighing in relief when some of the tension in her body eased. Once she felt a bit less stiff, Signe went to splash her face in the basin before getting dressed for the day.
Valborg and Hallsteinn turned up around noon, while Signe had been busying herself washing one of the large bed covers for Oleg's bed. She thought they would tell her to put on some trousers and grab her gear, but luckily for her – and her battered body – they said she had improved enough for them to take a day off and suggested the go into town to purchase necessities she'd need on the trip. Signe, relieved they did not want to train and that her abused muscles would catch a break, readily agreed. They extended the invitation to the twins, who were more than happy for an excuse to get out of the fields, and then they were soon on their way.
They did not live very far outside of the village, so it only took them about a half hour (by horseback) to reach town. As usual, the village was crowded and busy with people going about daily life, hurrying here and there as they toted sacks, carried boxes, or lugged things down the road on horse-drawn carts. When the streets became too thick with people to continue on by horse, Signe and her brothers dismounted and led their horses down the road by the reins instead, tethering them up to a post once they were close to the market.
Signe decided that since she was in town, it would be wrong if she did not go to say hello to Bjorn and his mother. In truth, she actually hadn't had very much opportunity to see her best friend over the past few weeks, which was unusual – normally Signe and Bjorn found a way to spend time together nearly every single day, but they had only been able to see one another a few times since the night he'd stayed over. Her life had just become so consumed with preparations for the raids that she simply had not had the time to see him.
At least, Signe hoped that was why she had not seen much of Bjorn recently.
Neither of them had dared to bring up their near kiss that night he'd visited so late – it was almost as though they had come to some sort of silent, mutual agreement not to talk to about it, to pretend as though it had never happened. But just because the subject had been avoided, that did not mean Signe did not worry it might be the real reason Bjorn had not been around much. Nothing seemed amiss between them whenever they were together and Bjorn was not treating her differently, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not seem to quiet the nagging, paranoid voice in her head trying to convince her that he regretted what had happened and had stopped coming around because of it.
Signe did her best to push that thought away. The whole thing was a little awkward, but the fact still remained that Bjorn was a very straightforward person. Like Valborg, he too had the tendency to be brutally honest and did not shy away from speaking his mind – in short, he was not the sort of man to tuck tail and run just because he had almost kissed his best friend. If he'd had a problem with what had (almost) happened, he would have confronted the issue head on.
Things between them were perfectly fine, she told herself, they had both just been busy.
"You all go to the market and shop," Signe suggested, taking a step in the opposite direction of where her brothers were going. "There is something I wish to do."
Garik and Gunnar nodded disinterestedly and went hurrying off, eager to see what awaited in the market. Valborg and Hallsteinn, however, both paused and frowned, either because they were confused as to what else she wanted to do or because they were uncomfortable with the idea of her walking around Hedeby alone. "Relax, I am just going to pay a quick visit to Bjorn," she reassured them hastily. "I will not be gone long."
Valborg seemed to accept her reason for going off, but Hallsteinn immediately rolled his eyes and scoffed. "As long as you do not plan to stay the night…" He quipped, making her cheeks flush.
She could tell that he was only being half serious, but the comment still grated her nerves. Hallsteinn, unsurprisingly, had not been very pleased when he learned that Bjorn had spent the night under the same roof as Signe and had been making a fuss about it ever since. No matter what she said, he seemed convinced that the two of them were up to something behind everyone's back. Bjorn visiting her so late in the night, according to Hallsteinn, was proof enough.
"By the Gods, Hallsteinn, would you stop?" Signe asked in exasperation, having reached her wit's end. "For the final time – nothing happened," she stated, her voice filled with authority and leaving no room for argument. "And even if something had, it would be nobody's business but ours!Now put it to rest!"
And with one last annoyed glare at Hallsteinn, she turned on her heel and stalked off before either had a chance to respond, leaving Valborg and Hallsteinn to watch her go before sharing a look of slight surprise.
Signe cursed her idiotic brother under her breath as she started making her way toward Earl Sigvard's hall.
She loved Hallsteinn, she truly did. He was her brother – her flesh and blood – and she would do absolutely anything for him. She would kill for him if she had to. But sometimes, in moments like these, he was so insufferable that Signe just wanted to hit him.
Her father worried she would never marry, but how exactly did anyone in her family expect her to find a husband when Hallsteinn practically threatened to kill any man that looked at her? It was intimidating enough for any man knowing she had not one, but four large brothers who knew their way around deadly weapons and were more than happy to punish anyone that wronged her – Hallsteinn's over-protectiveness, combined with his short fuse, only made matters worse. Didn't he understand that she was a grown woman now? Didn't he realized that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself and making her own decisions?
She huffed to herself as she trudged along, deciding that the next time someone tried to express concerns over her imminent spinsterhood that she'd immediately point them in Hallsteinn's direction. Let him explain to their father why Signe was nearing twenty and still unmarried for a change.
She was finally pulled out of her annoyed fretting when was suddenly hit with the feeling of being watched. Signe slowed to a stop and felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, an eeriness that felt just a little bit too familiar creeping over her. She looked around, trying to find the source of this odd feeling, then had to do a double take when her eyes flitted over a dark shape in the distance.
It was the Völva, dressed in black and tattooed from nearly head to toe. The woman was standing outside her hut, her long, dark hair and the dark skirts of her dress blowing with the gentle breeze and swirling all around her. And though they were separated by carts and people and several feet of space, Signe knew that the Völva was staring directly at her.
All Signe could do was stare back, unsure what she should do. There had been no more strange incidents since that first one, but there were still plenty of unanswered questions in her mind that she felt deserved answering. She had done her best to avoid sitting down with the woman again for a very long while out of wariness…but looking at her now, Signe was starting to think that maybe the time had come to stop being a coward and speak with the mystical seeress again.
"Hello, Signe," a voice suddenly sounded in her ear.
Signe jumped in surprise and immediately turned her eyes away from the Völva's, only to find herself peering into the blue-eyed gaze of Bjorn's mother, Lagertha.
It shouldn't have been the first thing that came to mind upon seeing the beautiful shieldmaiden, but Signe's thoughts immediately turned back to the night Bjorn had stayed over and she couldn't help but remember what he had said about the Earl beating on his mother. She wondered briefly if it was still happening and discreetly looked for any marks or bruises. If it was, there was no evidence of it anywhere – not on the woman's face, nor in her demeanor.
"Lady Lagertha," Signe finally said, recovering from her surprise enough to remember her manners. She offered a respectful nod of her head, suddenly very glad she'd decided to wear one of her better dresses for this outing so that she did not look too frumpy in front of her. "Good afternoon. I hope you are well?"
"Very well, thank you," Lagertha said with a pleasant smile. "What brings you to town today?"
"My brothers and I are here purchasing some supplies we will need when we go on the raids," Signe explained, gesturing in the general direction that she had left her brothers in. "I was just on my way to your home to say hello to Bjorn while we were here."
"Well, I am sorry to inform you that Bjorn is actually not home at the moment," Lagertha told her regretfully, making Signe frown a bit. "He went for a ride a few hours ago and has yet to return," she then explained.
"I see," Signe said, her disappointment obvious in her tone.
"Bjorn told me you were joining the raids this summer," Lagertha continued, moving on with the conversation. Signe shoved her disappointment away and gave her a small smile, nodding in confirmation. "Congratulations," Lagertha said, smiling again. "You must be very excited."
"Thank you," Signe said politely, before scrunching her nose up a bit. "And yes, I am excited... but I am nervous as well," she admitted. "The raids are dangerous, and the knowledge of that does make it somewhat…" Signe paused to think of the right word, "daunting," she finished.
Lagertha nodded her understanding. "I understand why you would be nervous. The first raid is an important time in every young warrior's life – it is when you truly begin to learn about yourself and about the world," she told Signe with raised brows. "It is perfectly normal to feel daunted – I too was rather intimidated the first time I raided." Lagertha then admitted. "But from what I hear, you have become a strong, formidable fighter – and with the blood of warriors running through your veins and your four warrior brothers to teach you, I have no doubt it is the truth," Lagertha told her with an encouraging smile. "I am certain you have nothing to fear, Signe."
To hear such words coming from a woman like Lagertha still made Signe's confidence soar. Lagertha was a renowned shieldmaiden, made famous by her skills in battle. She was also someone that Signe greatly admired and tried to model herself after – having the woman's approval meant a great deal to her. "Thank you for your kind words, Lady Lagertha, they have given me great confidence," she said sincerely, inclining her head respectfully. "My skills will never compare to yours, of course," she added with a humble smile, "but I can always strive to try to be as fearsome a fighter as you."
Lagertha grinned, obviously flattered by Signe's compliment, then shrugged a slim a shoulder. "Well, perhaps when you return from the raids you and I should spar together," she suggested, making Signe's eyes immediately bug. Her? Spar with Lagertha? Signe thought she might be sick. "Only then will we truly see how your skills compare to mine."
Signe struggled to get a response out for a moment, but soon nodded her head. "Al-alright," she stammered out in agreement, still a bit dumbfounded by the fact that Lagertha, who probably had much better things to do with her time than spending it sparring with her son's best friend, would suggest such a thing.
Lagertha nodded and smiled as though sealing the deal. "It is agreed then," she said firmly, leaving Signe no chance to say otherwise. "I should be going now," Lagertha then said to excuse herself from the conversation, undoubtedly needing to return to some important business somewhere. "But I wish you the best of luck on the raids and will pray to the Gods for yours and your brothers' safe return."
"Thank you, my lady," Signe said, bowing her head.
Lagertha smiled, returned Signe's respectful nod, then turned to leave. "Oh," she said, pausing a few feet away so she could turn back to Signe, "I will tell Bjorn that you came to see him the moment he returns." After Signe nodded and thanked her again, Lagertha continued on.
Now that Lagertha was gone and Signe was alone again, her gaze almost immediately drifted back over to where she had seen the seeress. The space that she had been occupying in front of her hut was now vacant and the woman was no longer in sight. Her front door, however, was wide open and gave Signe a good view of the inside – even from where she stood she could see the seeress moving about in her home.
It was all too obvious that the open door was an invitation, and Signe knew then that the Völva was expecting her. She weighed her options for another moment longer, then finally came to a decision. Signe decided that it was time she stop acting like a scared little child, be the grown woman that she was, and sit down with the seeress again. There were answers that she wanted – answers that she was owed – and by the Gods, she was going to get them.
Today.
The hut looked just as she remembered it, the only difference being that it seemed a bit on the small side now that she was older and taller. It was still dark and smoky and smelled of incense. There were still odd trinkets still hung from the ceilings, though the Völva had accumulated more of them over the years. Jars and vials full of all sorts of different things, ranging from plants to dark liquids to something that looked very much like an animal heart, still lined a table on the left side of the room. It was all very familiar, so much so that she felt as though she may have stepped backward through time.
The Völva herself was sitting in a chair at a small table on the right. She looked thoroughly unsurprised to see Signe, which confirmed her suspicions that the woman had been expecting her to visit. "Close the door behind you," she instructed, her voice the slightest bit raspy now with the passing of time.
Signe stared at her for a moment, then did as she was told. Once the door was shut, Signe turned and slowly walked to the table the seeress was sitting at. When the seeress motioned to the open chair directly opposite of hers Signe immediately sat down, eyes trained on the Völva the entire time. She couldn't help the slight feeling of apprehension that formed in the pit of her stomach as she eyed the seeress, searching her expression for any clues or hints as to why she continued to seek Signe out. The seeress' expression was calm though – serene almost – and gave nothing away.
"Hello, Signe," the seeress finally said once Signe was sitting comfortably. "Much time has passed since last we spoke."
"On the contrary," Signe said slowly, her calm tone contradicting the nervousness in her belly, "it has not been long at all," she corrected her, thinking back to the incident with the seeress in the middle of the night. "It has only been a mere few weeks since you last spoke to me."
The seeress smiled slowly in response, though it was difficult to tell what the emotion behind it was. "I see you have grown bolder with time," she said, choosing to ignore Signe's pointed reminder of the strange visit. "Gone is the nervous little girl – in her place sits a confident young woman," she mused aloud, sounding as though she were talking more to herself than to Signe.
She wasn't about to let the Völva change the subject that easily though. Signe might have spent the past few weeks dreading this very encounter, but now that she was finally here and finally had the woman in front of her, she was going to get the answers she wanted. "Why did you come to me that night?" She pressed demandingly, expression set in a serious frown. "Why come just to tell me the same thing after all these years? What does it mean?"
The woman's almost teasing smile finally disappeared when she saw how the determination in Signe's eyes. Her expression turned more businesslike as she leaned back in her chair and pressed the tips of her fingers together, dark eyes calculating as she studied the younger woman sitting across from her. Finally, after a few silent beats, she spoke.
"What do you think it means?"
Signe immediately felt frustrated, but did her best to hide it from the Völva – if she had known what it meant then she wouldn't have asked in the first place, now would she? Signe had half a mind to tell the seeress just that, but thought better of it in the end. Instead, she sighed to herself and thought the question over for a moment, thinking back to that night yet again and mulling over the different possible reasons for it.
"I feel as though it might have been…a warning," Signe finally said after a few moments, keeping her eyes trained on the seeress for any sort of reaction on the woman's part. "Or perhaps a reminder," she added, the uncertainty of her tone almost making it sound more like a question than a statement.
The woman's expression did not change in the slightest. "Warning and reminding you of what?" The seeress countered evenly.
Signe hesitated again. "That I have not yet started down the path you told me of so many years ago," she answered slowly. "And that something might soon happen to…change that."
When the seeress smiled slightly, Signe knew she had guessed correctly. It made her stomach lurch, though whether it was from excitement or apprehension, she wasn't entirely sure. "Yes," the Völva confirmed, "things will change, Signe. Very soon."
Signe nodded, positive she knew what the woman was referring to. The Völva had said she would become a shieldmaiden and fight alongside her brothers, which was exactly what would happen when they left for the raids in only a matter of days. It had to be connected to this in some way. "I will be going on the raids soon," she told the seeress, "is that what you are speaking of?"
The Völva surprised her by laughing in response. "Oh no, young Signe," she said with a shake of her head, making Signe frown back at her doubtfully. "You will raid someday, but not now and not for Earl Sigvard," the seeress proceeded to reveal. "It is not to the east in which your destiny awaits you. It is…somewhere else."
Signe's eyebrows came together in complete confusion. "What do you mean?" She asked in bewilderment, her mind now racing with questions. What could happen in the next few days to suddenly change her plans to raid? If she was not going to raid for Earl Sigvard, who would she raid for? And if she was not supposed to go east, then where exactly was she supposed to go?
"When the son returns to the father, that is when your journey shall begin," the Völva said simply.
There was that damned phrase again. Signe scowled at hearing it and felt some of her patience slip. "You keep telling me that, yet will not tell me the meaning of it," she all but snapped, letting the seeress see just how much it was starting to frustrate her.
"Because you do not need me to tell you the meaning of it," the Völva countered pointedly, making Signe immediately clamp her lips together. "You know already, Signe," she stated matter-of-factly, eyes intent and unblinking as they stared at her. "You knew it the moment you found out who he was."
Signe said nothing as she weighed the woman's words. Since the day she first spoke to the seeress, there was only one person she had met whom she thought could be the one the Völva kept referring to. She had suspected him for a long while, but had never let herself fully believe it was the truth.
"Bjorn," Signe finally said. When the seeress nodded, she felt a strange sensation in her belly. "He will go back to Earl Ragnar then," she said slowly, realization dawning.
"Yes," the seeress confirmed again. "It has always been the Gods' plan that Bjorn Ragnarsson return to his father," she revealed. "He is destined for many great things, none of which will come to pass unless he is reunited with Ragnar Lothbrok." The seeress paused and her eyes seemed glaze over for a moment, as though she were seeing something that Signe could not. "His father will need help and Bjorn will answer the call," she continued, looking her normal self again. "Once the matter is resolved, it is with Ragnar in Kattegat that he shall remain."
The news that Bjorn would leave Hedeby – for good – made Signe feel as though her heart had fallen into the pit of her stomach. In a way, she had expected that this would happen at one point or another – after all, Kattegat was his home and Bjorn still loved his father, no matter how angry he had been at the man for being unfaithful to Lagertha. But still, the thought of not seeing him every day, of not being able to talk to him whenever she wanted, of him living so very far away made a distinctly hollow feeling encompass her chest.
But before she could become too caught up in grieving over the imminent departure of her best friend, a thought struck Signe. The seeress had said that her own journey would start when Bjorn was reunited with his father – if her destiny was so dependent on this taking place, did that mean she was supposed to go with Bjorn when he left? In a way it made sense, especially when taking into consideration what the Völva had said about her not being destined to go east in the name of Earl Sigvard. That could only mean that she was destined to raid elsewhere, and the only 'elsewhere' she currently knew of was west – and as it was, one of the only Earls sending men to that part of the world was Ragnar Lothbrok.
The seeress must have been able to tell which direction Signe's thoughts had gone because she suddenly smirked a bit, the gleam in her eyes rather knowing. "Tell me what you are thinking," she urged.
The sound of the seeress' voice made Signe blink and emerge from her own thoughts. Giving a quick shake of her head to clear her mind, she focused on the seeress again. "If the Gods do not want me to raid east, is it because they wish me to join Bjorn when he leaves?"
The Völva nodded once, looking – if Signe dared to believe it – a smidge impressed that Signe had come to this conclusion. "Yes. Bjorn will have help on his path to greatness, and you are one of those who will help him." Signe felt a small moment of relief to know that she and Bjorn would not be separated just yet. "There will be much for you to…discover…in Kattegat," the seeress continued, saying this in such a way that it sparked Signe's interest. The woman paused for a moment then tilted her head, eyes scrutinizing. "The road you are about to walk will be a most enlightening one."
The seeress might have been fairly forthcoming with her so far, but the way she had said that last sentence led Signe to believe that she knew a lot more than what she was revealing. She thought about asking her to elaborate, but then decided not to bother – she could tell just by the look on the woman's face that she had no plans of elaborating any further than that.
"I have told you many things today, Signe," the seeress stated, breaking the momentary silence that had passed, "perhaps even more than the Gods would have liked." The woman paused for a moment as though listening for something. "You may ask only one more question," she finally concluded, "and then I am to tell you no more."
Signe took a moment to think about everything the Völva had already told her – she had gotten all of the answers she had come for and had discovered that she would not be raiding east, as had been the original plan. Instead, she had learned that it was the will of the Gods that she go to Kattegat with Bjorn to – evidently – discover her destiny. Signe was hard-pressed to think of anything else that needed to be addressed and mulled over it for a few moments. Finally, something popped into her mind.
"There is one more matter I wish to ask you about," Signe admitted, already feeling silly and trying to ignore the blood rushing to her cheeks because of it.
"Go on," the seeress prompted, waving a slender, tattooed hand.
Signe pressed her lips together for a moment. "You said that I would fall in love with and marry a great warrior," she reminded her, hoping the seeress wouldn't think her foolish for even asking about this. "When exactly will this marriage happen?
The Völva was quiet for a moment or two, the stoic expression on her face maddeningly impenetrable and giving away none of her inner thoughts. "Soon," she finally answered, taking Signe a bit by surprise. "Much sooner than you might have anticipated, as a matter of fact."
The woman had said she could only have one more question, but Signe still opened her mouth to ask more, rather shocked by this news and needing more of an explanation than had been given. Before she could get her burning questions out, however, the Völva held a hand up to silence her. "The Gods do not wish me to say any more," she said firmly. Signe internally cursed herself, scolding herself for not using her last question wisely enough.
The Völva, much like she had done the first time they spoke like this, suddenly extended her hand toward Signe palm up, clearly expecting the same 'payment' she had received last time. "Go home and begin making preparations," she instructed, palm still hovering in the air. "You will not have much more time to do so."
It was with great difficulty that she managed to keep quiet and not press the issue, thinking it wiser in spite of her curiosity if she didn't disrespect the Völva or the Gods. Instead, she leaned forward to obediently lick the woman's palm before standing from her seat and bowing her head respectfully as a means of farewell.
Signe did not expect the seeress to say anything more as she turned and headed for the door, but just as she started to push it open and step outside, the seerees' voice stopped her. "Signe?"
She paused and looked at the Völva over her shoulder, a bit surprised and more than a little bit curious as to why the woman had stopped her. "Yes?"
The Völva paused, then smiled serenely. "Trust the Gods."
Signe wasn't sure why, but something about the Völva's last piece of advice felt a little foreboding. "I alvays do," she told the seeress, wondering if she should be feeling a little disconcerted or not.
The seeress' smile grew for a moment. "Good."
The Völva then motioned toward the door, signally Signe was free to leave. Bowing her head again, Signe took one last look at the mystical woman before stepping out of the hut and closing the door behind her.
All things considered, the meeting with Völva had gone surprisingly well. Signe had gone into it expecting to come back out empty-handed, but had been proven wrong. Sure, she had more than a few lingering questions about this wedding that would apparently be soon taking place, but all of the other answers she'd been searching for had finally been found. Signe now knew where the Gods wanted her to go, and – for the most part – was beginning to understand what the Gods wanted her to do. For the first time in her life, Signe felt like she had a purpose – like she was finally going to begin living her life.
Now she just had to hope that her father would understand her sudden change of heart in regards to the raids. And, when the time came, she hoped that he too would trust in the Gods' plans for her and that he would not stand in her way.
The next morning, Signe woke not long after the sun rose. With her head still swimming with thoughts of the Völva and their conversation the day before, just as it had all night long, she decided to do as she had been instructed and started preparing for the journey to come – whenever that might be.
She grabbed a small sack so she could pack away a spare set of trousers, a dress, and a more few personal effects, then went to collect the supplies she'd bought in town the day before and her small healing pack and that she always kept in her trunk, just in case. Signe would never dare to call herself a healer, but after nearly ten years of taking care of five men every time they fell ill or injured themselves – six, if you counted Bjorn – she'd certainly learned a few useful things over the years. Her father had suggested on one or two occasions that she consider healing for the town as a means of making money, but she'd always been hesitant on the idea.
Signe placed the now packed bag on her bed and then went to her trunk, where a jerkin made of leather and chainmail lay on top. It was her mother's old battle armor, which her father had also gifted to her along with the axe and the shield. Signe grabbed the jerkin with reverential hands and held it up before herself, suddenly flooded with memories of the times she'd seen her mother wearing it. She remembered watching her ride off for battle, with her hair in its signature braids and dark kohl lining her bright blue eyes – all the while, wearing this jerkin.
Signe also remembered seeing her come back from battle, bruised and battered and, every now and again, still covered in blood – both hers and her enemy's. She could see a small blood stain on the leather of the jerkin and ran her thumb over it pensively, finding it a little strange to think of herself being the one to fight and bleed in this jerkin whenever she finally found herself in a battle. Signe just hoped she could do it as proud as the previous owner had.
A sudden knock on the front door jerked her back to reality, making her instantly frown with uncertainty. She had been so caught up in memories of her long deceased mother that she had not even heard anyone approaching the house. But it was barely even sun up – who could possibly be visiting this early anyway?
Signe lay the jerkin down on her bed and went to her door, yanking it open. At the same time, the door to her father's room opened and Oleg stepped out, instantly motioning with his hand that he wanted her to stay put. Signe nodded and watched from her doorway as her father walked to the front door, a little apprehensive to find out who was on the other side of the door. She'd learned from experience that early morning visits, much like late night ones, usually meant something serious – if it was so important that it could not wait until they had at least eaten breakfast, then it had to mean something had happened.
Oleg finally pulled the door open, revealing an edgy looking Bjorn. Surprise coursed through her at the sight of him, immediately followed by a strong sense of foreboding when she saw the look he directed her way. The seeress' voice suddenly filled her head, reminding her that things would soon change and that Bjorn would soon leave for Kattegat. Had the time come already? Had she meant this soon?
"Good morning, Bjorn," Oleg greeted politely, though he seemed a bit at a loss as to why he was there. "To what do we owe the pleasure of such an early visit?"
"Please forgive the hour, Oleg," Bjorn said, glancing briefly at Signe again over the man's shoulder. "But I come with important news that I must share with you and your family. May I come inside?" He asked courteously.
Oleg seemed to understand in an instant that this was not just an everyday visit. His demeanor turned serious in a heartbeat as he pressed his lips together and nodded. "Of course," he said, before turning to glance at Signe. "Signe, go wake your brothers," he instructed. Oleg then waved Bjorn inside. "Please, come in."
While Bjorn stepped inside and was ushered over to the kitchen table, Signe hurried to Gunnar and Garik's room and threw the door open. The twins were already awake but barley so – still half asleep, they jumped in surprise and swung sleepy eyes in her direction when she suddenly appeared in their doorway.
"Bjorn is here. Something has happened," she said shortly before turning to hurry back into the sitting room without bothering to wait for them, not wanting to miss anything important. Her abruptness was enough wake the twins fully and have them scrambling to follow her, even though they were still in their bedclothes.
"I have already woken Valborg," Bjorn was saying as Signe walked back into the main room, the twins hot on her heels. Bjorn and Oleg were seated at the table with cups of water and loaf of bread. "He went to collect Hallsteinn – they should be here shortly," he explained.
"What is this about?" Signe asked, sliding into the chair next to Bjorn while the twins claimed the two on the other side of the table, identical looks of confusion on their faces.
Bjorn frowned, his features set in serious expression. "Should we wait for your brothers?" He asked uncertainly.
"No. We can explain everything once they are here," Garik piped up impatiently. "Tell us what is going on."
Bjorn let his gaze sweep the table for a moment as though checking to make sure everyone else felt the same as Garik, then started speaking. "Yesterday afternoon I rode to the next town over, and it was there that I spoke with a man who gave me the most troubling news." He paused for a moment like he was thinking back to the conversation with the stranger, then continued. "The town had just received word from a messenger that while my father and King Horik have been raiding in England, Kattegat has been invaded and taken over by Jarl Borg of Götaland."
Signe straightened up in her chair while a murmur of surprise passed between her brothers. "Does Earl Ragnar know?" Garik asked, a frown turning the corners of his lips down.
"If he does not yet, he will soon enough," Bjorn answered with a nod. "From what I understand, a messenger was sent west to alert him some time ago."
"What of the townsfolk? And his family?" Signe interjected with concern. "How many were harmed?"
Bjorn looked to her and sighed heavily, looking troubled. "Many were killed in the invasion. Jarl Borg and his men slaughtered any who resisted them," he revealed, making her heart sink. "But my uncle Rollo and his woman were able to get my father's wife and children – as well as a few others – out of Kattegat safely. They have taken refuge in a farmhouse outside of town while they await someone to answer their call for help and come to their aid."
"Is that the plan then?" Oleg asked rather bluntly, drawing the attention to him. "Does Earl Sigvard intend to send reinforcements to help Earl Ragnar retake Kattegat?"
Bjorn shook his head. "The Earl does not, no…but my mother does," he told him. "She informed me this morning that she intends to collect fifty of the strongest fighters in town and travel north to Kattegat as soon as possible," he proceeded to reveal. "Ragnar's forces are weakened and he will need help. We shall give it to him."
Oleg nodded as he leaned back in his chair, understanding dawning on his face. "I see," he said slowly. "You have come to recruit, then," he concluded, suddenly knowing exactly what the meaning of this visit was.
Bjorn nodded his head unabashedly. "Yes," he confirmed, sending a zing down Signe's spine. Whether that was an excited zing at the prospect of fighting in a true battle or a frightened one, though, she wasn't completely sure. "My mother wanted me to come to your family first and deliver her personal invitation for your sons and daughter to join her forces and help Ragnar Lothbrok reclaim his lands," he announced, his tone all business now.
At that exact moment, they all paused as they heard the sound of two approaching horses outside. Half a minute later, the door opened and Signe's two eldest brothers, looking wind-mussed and more than a little alarmed, quickly strode in.
"What is it?" Hallsteinn asked as he and Valborg came to stand next to the table, each glancing back and forth between their father and Bjorn for answers. "What has happened?"
"Jarl Borg has invaded Kattegat, Lady Lagertha is sending reinforcements to help Ragnar Lothbrok reclaim his lands, and she has personally invited all of us to be in her army," Gunnar swiftly summarized for him. Signe couldn't help but notice the excited gleam that had entered his gaze over the past few minutes – his twin was starting to sport a similar expression.
Hallsteinn stared at Gunnar for a moment, looking rather surprised. When he recovered, however, his expression turned resolute and his eyes filled with determination. "We will go," he agreed immediately, and not to anyone's surprise. Like Signe looked up to Lagertha, Hallsteinn idolized Ragnar Lothbrok. He wanted to be like the man, wanted to accomplish the same things and see all that Ragnar had – if there was a chance to help him and get in his good graces, there was no doubt that Hallsteinn would jump at the opportunity.
"Wait just a moment," Oleg spoke up at once, having to raise his voice to be heard over the excited murmuring that had broken out at the table. "We must talk this over first," he said sternly, looking around at each of his children.
"What is there to discuss?" Hallsteinn countered stubbornly, motioning toward Bjorn. "The Earl's wife has personally requested our assistance, father." he stated, as though Oleg needed reminding. "It would only be respectful of us to accept."
"They are not obligated to join, of course," Bjorn quickly clarified to Oleg, choosing his words carefully. "But my mother is seeking the strongest warriors we have available. She believes that your sons – and Signe," he made sure to point out, looking at her for a moment, "are the exact warriors she is looking for."
Oleg sighed heavily as his gaze settled on Bjorn. "I am honored that the Lady Lagertha holds my children to such high regard," he said with forced politeness. "But," he continued, a little more firmly this time, "you must also understand that I do not want to needlessly send my children off to war if I do not have to. This fight is not ours. We have no family there, no connection to Kattegat, and we have no allegiance with Earl Ragnar," Oleg pointed out. "The Jarl is no threat to us."
"You are wrong," Signe interjected, making all eyes turn to her. She kept her own gaze locked on her father, however, her expression set in determination. "We do have a connection to Kattegat – " Signe then looked pointedly to the only man in the room not of her kin. " – Bjorn." Signe then looked back to her father. "He has been like family to us, father. If he must go to battle to help his father reclaim his home – his true home – we should be there fighting alongside him," she stated determinedly. "You know that if the roles were reversed, Bjorn would do the same for us."
While a few of her brothers nodded their agreement, Bjorn sent her a tiny smile and a nod, obviously appreciating her loyal words. Oleg sighed heavily, drawing their attention again. He looked as though he was struggling to think of a way to counteract Signe's argument. "The raids are crucial to our survival," he reminded them. "The wages earned from those riches are a large portion of our yearly income. Without it, we will struggle until next summer," he reminded them.
"My mother will do her best to see that any warrior who offers their services is compensated for their efforts," Bjorn piped up quickly.
"Besides," Garik piped up, looking beside himself with excitement now, "if we help Ragnar Lothbrok drive Jarl Borg out of his lands, that may very well be enough to get us an invitation to raid west with him the next time he goes to England," he pointed out optimistically. "The riches we would find there would be worth twice as much as anything we would find east."
When Bjorn nodded as though to say that Garik was not far off in his assumptions, it became clear to Oleg that he was quickly losing this battle. He sighed heavily and raised his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, looking weary all of a sudden. "Your sister has never even raided before," he said, clearly speaking to his sons now. He lowered his hand again so he could peer around and Signe's brothers, clearly trying to guilt them. "Now you want to bring her into battle against the likes of Jarl Borg?"
Signe was rather offended that her father had used her lack of experience as part of his argument and started to tell him as such, but a new voice beat her to the punch. "It will hardly be any more challenging than what she would have faced fighting the Baltic clans," Valborg finally spoke up for the first time. He had been leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, quietly listening on as everyone else discussed the situation at hand.
Oleg did not seem pleased this his eldest, who usually took his side on everything, had spoken up against him. "It is different, Valborg," he growled. "You have raided and fought in enough battles throughout your lifetime to know that."
"I have also been training Signe since she was strong enough to hold a weapon," Valborg countered patiently. "Which means I know what she is – and what she is not – ready for. She will be able to handle Jarl Borg's warriors just as well as she could have handled the easterners," Valborg stated decisively. "She is ready to fight in a war."
Oleg frowned deeply and opened his mouth like he was going to argue back. Sensing an argument on the horizon, Signe jumped in before anything else could be said.
"Father, it is the will of the Gods that I go," she stated firmly, making everyone fall silent and look to her again. "Yesterday, while I was in town, I went to speak to the Völva," she quickly explained. "She told me it was not my destiny to raid east. She said Bjorn would soon be riding to his father's aid and it was the Gods' plan that I go with him." Signe sighed and looked to her father with gentle, pleading eyes. "You were willing enough to let me raid," she reminded him pointedly. "Let me go to battle with Bjorn, as the Gods wish me to."
A heavy silence filled the room as Oleg wordlessly stared back at her, a certain look of resignation beginning to fill his one dark eye. "If Signe goes, we all go," Hallsteinn added firmly, motioning between himself, Garik, and Gunnar. "If my little sister is going to war, I will damn well be fighting by her side when it happens."
"Us too," Garik said, jerking a thumb toward his twin as he nodded his agreement.
Oleg looked at his sons, shifted his stare to Bjorn, then, finally, he turned his gaze on Signe. For a moment he merely stared at her – Signe met his gaze full on, not backing down an inch so he would know that she stood firm in her desire to go to Kattegat. After a few seconds, Oleg cleared his throat.
"This is what you all want?" He asked slowly. "You want to join Ragnar Lothbrok in his battle against Jarl Borg?"
Signe and her brothers all looked at each other for a moment, as though silently confirming this was indeed what they all wanted. "Yes," Hallsteinn said, answering for the lot of them as they nodded along in agreement.
Oleg hesitated before nodding his head. "It would seem I am overruled on this matter," Oleg said, voice filled with defeat as his gaze shifted back to Bjorn. "If my children wish to join your mother's army and fight Jarl Borg…" Oleg hesitated for a moment to sigh. "…then I will not stand in their way."
And with that, he stood from his chair and left the table, heading directly for his bedroom. Signe, Bjorn, and her brothers watched in silence as Oleg stepped into his room and closed the door behind him, then shared uncertain looks with each other. Signe felt a small stab of guilt in her stomach for having upset her father, but was able to push the feeling away and justify her actions by reminding herself that this was her destiny she was seeking – she had to do this. Her father would just have to understand and accept that.
"I am sure he vill come around," Garik said with a dismissive wave of his hand, looking too excited over the prospect of going to war with Ragnar Lothbrok to care about anything else.
"So," Hallsteinn spoke up, looking as eager as the twins now as he rubbed his hands together. "When do we leave?" He asked Bjorn.
Bjorn smirked at the man's obvious enthusiasm. "At first light tomorrow, so I advise that you take the remainder of today to make the necessary preparations," he suggested.
"That soon?" Gunnar asked in surprise.
Bjorn shrugged. "It is an urgent matter," he said simply. Bjorn's eyes then turned to Valborg, who had gone quiet again. "Valborg, there is room for you too if you wish to come," he offered, even though he seemed to know his efforts would be futile.
Valborg smiled, but shook his head. "Your duty may be in Kattegat, but mine is here in Hedeby," he said, pushing away from the wall so he could go to Bjorn's side and clap a hand on his shoulder. "I will stay here and pray to the Gods for your safety in battle – all of you," he added, looking pointedly at his siblings – unsurprisingly, his eyes lingered on Signe the longest.
Bjorn nodded his thanks to Valborg, then finally pushed away from the table and stood from his seat. "I must be going now," he stated. "There is much to do yet and more warriors to seek out." He then smirked at them and nodded in satisfaction, clearly pleased with the way the meeting had gone. "My mother will be pleased to hear you are all joining us – I look forward to telling her." Bjorn's eyes slid to Signe and he raised his eyebrows. "Walk with me to my horse?"
"Of course," Signe said before standing from her chair and following him to the door.
She ignored the stares of her brothers that she felt on her back as they stepped out of the house. Bjorn called one last goodbye to her brothers over his shoulder, promising to see them early the next morning, before Signe closed the door so they could have some privacy.
Bjorn looked down at her as they started toward his horse, which had been hastily tied to a nearby post. "I am sorry if this causes problems for you and your father," he apologized. "He does not seem happy that you and your brothers will be coming to Kattegat."
Signe sighed and shrugged a shoulder. "He is worried, that is all," she said, though inwardly she too hoped this wouldn't cause any problems between them. It was rare that Signe and her father found themselves at odds with one another, but it was known to happen. If Oleg was angry, she just hoped he'd be able to forgive her before they left for Kattegat. "But like Garik said – he will come around," she added with forced optimism.
Bjorn nodded, though he didn't look completely convinced. "So…" He said after a beat or two of silence, changing the subject. "The seeress has told you things about me?"
After what she had revealed in regards to her visit with seeress, Signe had been expecting him to ask a question like this. "One or two…" She confirmed with a small smirk, purposefully being vague just to torment him in his obvious state of curiosity.
Bjorn's expression filled with eagerness. "Good things?" He pressed, eyes hopeful but also slightly wary.
Signe nodded. "So far, yes. According to the Völva, the Gods have great plans for you," she told him, raising her brows at him.
That seemed to be more than enough to appease Bjorn, because he asked no further questions. Instead, seemed encouraged by the revelation and stood a bit straighter, carrying himself with a newfound sense of confidence as a fire of determination began glowing in his eyes. Signe could practically see the wheels turning in his head – she imagined he was now thinking about these 'great plans' of the Gods and thinking of all the possibilities they might hold for him in his future.
As they reached his horse, Bjorn turned to Signe and smiled down at her. "It makes me glad to know you will be by my side when we face Jarl Borg," he told her in sincerity. "I am sorry if you are disappointed not to go on the raids, but I am also honored to have you as my comrade in battle."
Signe couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips. "I am not disappointed, actually," she admitted. And it was the truth – she was far more excited about fighting with Bjorn and the great Ragnar Lothbrok than she had been about raiding. "I am happy to be fighting with you as well, and I am eager to help you and your father reclaim your home." She then let out a small laugh. "We always said we wanted to fight together…it appears that the Gods were listening," Signe joked.
Bjorn grinned. "So it would seem," he agreed. He then turned to untether his horse's reins from the post before shifting his attention back to Signe. "Those going to Kattegat will gather in the fields at dawn, then we leave shortly after," he informed her, his tone momentarily sounding a bit more business-like. "Do not be late or you will be left behind," he warned.
"We will be there," Signe promised him.
Bjorn then did something that caught her rather by surprise. He held her gaze for a moment before taking a step closer, placing a hand on the side of her neck, and then leaning down to press a kiss against her forehead.
The gesture may have seemed small and insignificant to anyone else, but to Signe, it was monumental. They had been friends for a long time, so it was not uncommon for Bjorn to show Signe affection here or there. Only when he had shown affection in the past, it was always in the form of hugs or pats on the back or, on rare occasions, a squeeze of her hand. But this? Bjorn had never kissed her before – not on her lips, not on her forehead, not even a courteous smooch to the top of her hand. It shocked her to her core that he was kissing her forehead now, even more so when he lingered for the tiniest moment before pulling away.
"I must go," he said, sending her another smile before turning to climb up onto his horse. "Like I said inside – take today to prepare." Signe nodded silently, too dumbfounded to produce words. "And get as much rest as you can," Bjorn added. "Once we are on the road to Kattegat, there will not be much opportunity for it."
"I will," she finally managed out, recovering enough to smile at him – she hoped her expression wasn't as love-struck as she feared it might be. Get ahold of yourself, Signe internally scolded herself. "I shall see you in the morning," she said in a stronger voice this time, taking a few steps back to give Bjorn and his horse some space.
Bjorn nodded his head to her in response, then he pulled his horse around, let out a whistle, and dug his heels into the animal's flanks. The horse whinnied and lurched forward, taking off down the dirt path that led away from Signe's house until, eventually, disappearing around the bend.
Thoughts?